Recent carjackings on Maui and in Waikiki have raised concerns about safety in Hawaii. It’s time for visitors and residents to be more aware while enjoying the islands.
Recent carjackings on Maui and in Waikiki have raised concerns about safety in Hawaii. It’s time for visitors and residents to be more aware while enjoying the islands.
With 32 years of law enforcement experience behind me, I take exception to your inference that carjackings are just “petty crimes”. They too often turn into very violent, even fatal incidents, never mind the fear, even terror they inflict on their victims.
What puzzles me about this case is, why was this person, with a history of violence, walking around, vice: behind bars where he belonged??
Totally agree with you, Dennis.
Why is he out on bail? Is he related to someone, or is he and informant? He should never get out again!!! He’s pilau! Keep letting him out and he’ll keep doing the same, you’ll really deter tourism then!
Released on bail following another kidnapping case. Well, there you have it. Therein lies the problem; the criminal justice system in Hawaii if they allow that is a complete joke. Anyone with a criminal history as extensive as the accused in this matter should have never been given bail.
Career criminals must be dealt with in a harsh manner, and if you don’t have the stomach to do that, you don’t belong anywhere near the criminal justice system.
When a government fails to protect its law, abiding citizens from predators, that government has failed and should be changed sooner than later.
Just one more thing, it is outrageous to suggest that law abiding citizens need to modify their behavior so as to avoid criminals, criminals should change their behavior. Criminals need to be looking over their shoulder, not the law, abiding citizen.
I agree with you, especially the last paragraph.
By no means am I suggesting that crime Hasn’t gotten worse, like all places, overall crime has increased over the years, but I think Hawaii is still a little better than most states overall. When I was growing up on Oahu (born and raised – live in New England now) in the 60s – late 80s, there were always places/times you don’t tread through.
One of my best friends growing up was found with another guy, both tied up and shot through the head execution style in one of the pineapple fields. It was only a few years out of high school, and most of us believe it was related to the drug trade at the time.
There was another one involving a visitor on 92/Nimitz in Kalihi a few months ago as well. The victim pulled over by Sand Island IIR late at night and was promptly jacked.
Hawaii really is safer than most of the CONUS, but too many tourists come here with the idea that it’s just one big tropical version of Disneyland populated with kindly grass skirt wearing, pineapple picking locals strumming ukes, and throwing shaka’s while surfing. They let their guard down and take risks that they probably wouldn’t otherwise.
I actually blame social media and its fixation on “the perfect place” for a significant chunk of this. I’ve written before that when we were kids we Didn’t go to these places because of their remoteness and the people you’d often find there…
Best Regards
here’s a thought, lock the criminals up for life or at least 50 years like they should have done to that helmer dude. also lock up the judge who let that criminal loose in the first place and file a lawsuit against hawaii and the judge/da for allowing a known violent criminal to roam the streets of hawaii.
Maui County has a missing persons list on the web. Seventeen people are reported missing just since 2019.
Maybe Mr. Helmer can help solve some of these cases?
Would the California carjacking victims been added to the missing list if not for their quick thinking and bravery?
The ordeal of carjacking, gunfire and an overnight scramble up Haleakala in bathing suits and flipflops sounds terrifying.
Why did Maui police Chief Pelletier fail to inform the press and public on June 5th of the risk of this violent predator?
The problem here is Not Car Jacking , just like the problem is not Purse Snatching , OR
Or Robbery, or Aggravated Assault. The problem is why is someone with such a long violent criminal record still living out on the street. Repeated offenders don’t deserve to be on the street to do bad again. Straighten that out and the problems go away.
There is an expressing fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. There is a message there in dealing with repeat offenders.
I hate to discourage anyone from driving the Piilani Highway – it is a bucket list item, for sure. When we have driven it (twice) in the most recent years it was during the day and we came across plenty of cars, mostly locals. Where we could stop we enjoyed talking to them about their lifestyle on that side of the island. But you are absolutely correct – travel by daylight and leave lots of time. In fact, when we go to Haleakala National Park (Kipahulu District is our fave) we prefer Piilani Highway because it’s quicker getting there. As for car-jackings they are likely not more plentiful because it’s an island – nowhere to run? As for smash-and-grabs, we all need to be more careful about what we leave in plain view – and where. Can’t wait to hear your report(s) of your island trips.
These kind of crimes need to be addressed before they become commonplace on the islands, as they have been in major cities across the US. This person should never have been out of prison to begin with, but like other liberal areas of the country, letting criminals free to terrorize the community seems to be the preferred way of dealing with crime. The state needs to pass stronger penalties and enforce them or this is just going to continue to escalate. At that point it will be extremely difficult to reverse course and return back to the days when people felt very safe on the islands. Stay on the current path and it will be yet one more reason for visitors to take their dollars elsewhere.
When’s the last time anyone was arrested for a smash and grab & theft of property from a parked, unoccupied vehicle? And if so they certainly were not sentenced to any ‘time inside’ a prison.
So why not? No risk to the criminal. No deterrent or threat via the Criminal Justice System. You get the society you tolerate. Tolerate crime? Yep, it will continue.
The way this is written-“the perceptions of over-tourism and the strain on the local community have occasionally led to some spikes in crime”-might read to visitors that tourists, not thugs, are responsible for their own gunpoint (with later gunshot-fortunately they were not hit) kidnapping/car hijacking by a local hoodlum with an extensive and dangerous sounding criminal record. The offender is the issue. Where I live (not NY or CA where we read of similar treatment of crimes) he would not be out on bail with a record like this after his earlier kidnapping charge, given his dangerous history. Now he allegedly offends again; another kidnapping/carjacking with a firearm; one that was fired in commission of the crime. I appreciate the pistol firing was later but if I were the victim I would likely feel he came back to kill us to cover up his crime. The state will rapidly develop an unsafe reputation if thugs like this are not aggressively prosecuted and punished if convicted.
Well glad to see the liberal justice system in Hawaii love to have their criminals running around creating more crime. Just like the mainland.
Guess hawaii doesnt beleive in 3 strike rule . Lets let violent criminals out to menace society some more. Hawaii practices the pay to play version all their own.
Over here do the crime and do no time as long as u pay. Judges should be recalled or voted out for incomptence. They failing the public.
It’s like that all over the US. Slaps on the hand, bail and they’re out on the street within days. Must be so frustrating for police. Someone in the legal system should be held responsible when these thugs are released and hurt or kill someone else.
The gun culture is now a part of Hawaii -for me ,it’s disturbing and sad—what happened to the music and idealism of Hawaii’s past-before the hostile monstrous trucks and gun culture,when now agression prevails?
Sad Hawaii -an extension of all that is wrong from mainland USA
The report of the high jacking is extremely concerning as a single traveler in a state that was considered very safe.
We’ve owned a condo on Kauai for 25 years and would go frequently, but on our last trip in 2020 we were accosted in front of the condo and haven’t returned since then. Being from TX, I remarked to security thar it’s probably good we can’t carry a gun there as we would have been tied up in court for years. Hawaii needs to reconsider open carry and stand your ground laws.
This latest carjacking news is concerning, primarily because we are older. I’m sure for everyone as well. About 2015 we drove Piilani Highway to Manawainui Gulch, blowing time and gas, before we left. We passed no cars as we drove. When we got to the Gulch, being amazed of the chasim, there was only one family parked when we arrived. We saw one vehicle, in the distance, driving the dirt part of the highway, but we never felt we could be endangered, but would think twice before driving it again.
The big thing is being aware of your surroundings. Don’t leave things in your car. Be safe.
Hawai’i severe lack of enforcement and holding criminals responsible is almost comical. Low bail, no bail, lack of accountability and level of “feeling sorry” for the criminals, while hardly having any sympathy is literally the worst I’ve ever seen. I do believe the court systems here really should be help accountable and potentially need Federal oversight. Enough is enough.
Unforturtunately, this doesn’t only happen to tourists. A former college of mine who lives upcountry waited in her husband’s truck while he was picking up something from the store in Pukalani (Maui) …she was quite shaken to be confronted at gunpoint telling her to get out…may be the same guy (people) in your story ..not sure. Either way, that guy should be shipped off to a mainland prison & never be allowed to come back.
There is that element in most societies. We should always be vigilant and aware of where we are and what’s happening around us. No placee is crime free. I think the main problem is that we’re too lax on punishment.
Don’t ship him to the mainland. We are not Hawaiis dumping ground
yeah, probably no space left for criminals on the mainland. That said, Hawaii is not your dumping ground either.
nay. tiger sharks need to eat.
Why should that native be sent to.mainland prison. He’s your home grown criminal who you allowed to flourish there with soft laws. You guys should pay to lock. Him up
That’s why I always carry my gun. I’d be one dead local for sure